The cardinal difference between Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Shibli No’mani was the mindset: Syed Ahmed Khan was basically a pro-West modernist bent upon changing the ways the people and specifically the Muslims of the subcontinent believed in certain things. Shibli, on the other hand, though not totally against the West, always stressed the Islamic roots of the Muslims of the subcontinent. Shibli felt that a combination of both eastern and western philosophies and values could help regain the lost glory of the Muslims. This article traces Shibli’s turning towards Islamic models and finds the influence of certain personalities that helped mould Shibli’s thoughts to a great extent.